This invention relates to storage batteries, and more particularly to an improved battery cell structure.
One known battery battery cell structure includes a monoblock separator forming honeycomb type structure that defines an 8.times.8 matrix of compartments, each including a lead wire current collector. The lead wire current collectors comprise a plurality of lead wires, some of the lead wires being coated with a positive paste of an active material and the other lead wires being coated with a negative paste of an active material. The lead wire coatings are produced by dipping precut wires, which are 1 mm. to 1.5 mm. in diameter and 100 mm. to 200 mm. in length, into a supply of the positive or negative paste to form lead wire elements having a square cross section which is 2.5 mm. to 3 mm on each side.
One disadvantage of this battery structure is that the monoblock separator is very expensive to produce and its honeycomb structure complicates the process of inserting the current collectors into the compartments of the monoblock, particularly because of the relative small size of the current collectors. Moreover, production of the current collectors is difficult because it is hard to control the thickness of the coating using known coating processes, such as a dipping process. The thickness of the coating must be controlled to provide proper operation of the battery cell. Also, the electrode dipping process is very time consuming. This battery structure requires careful control of electrode manufacture and insertion, and the manufacturing process requires repetitive handling of large numbers of individual small wire electrodes.